Jackie Miao

DAY 4 – Causeway Bay

This is the fifth part of a series of stories about my four days in Hong Kong.

After the night of boozing at Lan Kwai Fong and meeting some nice people, I headed back to Rachel’s, ate a big bowl of Korean noodles she made for me and slept and slept and slept (till 7pm)! We headed to Causeway Bay later, where for the first time I got to feel what it means to be in the densest city in the world!

Causeway Bay on that Saturday night was horrifically crowded. It was like jumping into an ocean of ants and hoping you don’t accidentally breathe in when a creature with halitosis exhales two inches from your face. It makes Oxford Circus look like a walk in the park.

Human-congestion!

I felt my hungover self being swallowed by the vastness that is Hong Kong Island’s shopping district and it made me grateful for the space we have in Malaysia. It made me question why I even sigh about waiting for elevators that are relatively empty, but most of all it made me admire the people of Hong Kong! Imagine the time they waste just queuing up, waiting for, and walking from point A to B. I wonder how they have time for anything, but they do!

It is such a luxury for Sabahans to be able to park 10 meters away from our destination and complain that we have to walk anywhere. Rachel and I had to get in the queue for 10-15 minutes to take the elevator up to the top floor of Sogo. Just trying to pay for things at Sogo was a challenge, though thankfully the salesgirl who was helping me extended some value-added service to get me to commit to a purchase. When I got what I needed from Sogo, we headed to SML for dinner!

Looking and feeling rough

SML Restaurant

Since we’ve been having Cantonese food for 3 days straight, Rachel suggested SML for a change. We had to queue in a folding row which was at least 5 folds long just to take the elevator up to the restaurant level! Being in the midst of so many people made me feel really tiny. I felt short because I couldn’t see anything but faces unless I tip-toed. There were just so many people!

When we finally made it up to the entrance of the restaurant, thankfully we didn’t have to wait to get a table. When we settled down, Rachel proceeds to explain to me what SML means. She tells me that everything on the menu comes in three sizes; S,M or L! That means that whatever it is that I feel like eating, I can either enjoy it as an appetizer, a portioned meal or a full-on feast platter. I was feeling like a hungover brat who needed variety to offset the headache and so we went on an ordering spree of S-sized dishes.

Below is a photo-diary of what we had:-

We started with a Rocket Salad dressed with Balsamic Vinaigrette, topped with a shaved hard cheese. While the salad came together nicely and was very flavorful, both of us felt that the vinaigrette was a bit overpowering. I’d order it again because I like rocket, but I’d ask for them to go easy on the vinaigrette.

Next up, we had some raw fish! I love seared sashimi. You get the best of both worlds; the raw that’s been teased with the cooked! I apologize for labeling the sauce Balsamic in the photo but that’s what I thought it was at the time. It might have just been Ponzu or something like it. This was fresh, decent and lovely for a mid-range type sashimi but definitely not a contender for The Best Sashimi Awards. The raw ham and salami silenced the little demon inside who was screaming for some decent Serrano since I left Madrid. I really loved it!

We also had Oxtail Risotto. This was hearty, full of flavor and really delicious! The cod on the other hand was edible but doesn’t do the fish justice. When I think of black cod I think of Ubon/Nobu’s (London) Miso-marinated preparation. Taste aside, the cod at SML was overcooked because the texture was rather dry. Not an interesting dish unfortunately; taste and texture!

We also had a slice of Grilled Pork Belly on a bed of creamed red cabbage. The wine-reduction gravy was tasty but I have to say (and I’m not speaking from a biased perspective), the taste and texture of the pork itself was rubbish compared to the Slow Oven-roasted Organic Pork that we sweat in the oven for 3 hours at Stone Bridge Galley. Process! Process! Rachel and I loved the U.S. beef strips of steak and you can taste that the fries were not fried in 3-day old trans-fat (a good thing!)

I really enjoyed the meal even though two out of seven dishes disappointed! For HKD $400 we got a lot more variety than the lunch at Yung Kee! After a very heavy night on Friday, we stayed in on Saturday night.

Here’s how to get your sizes on a plate:-

SML
11th Floor, Times Square,
Causeway Bay, Hongkong.
Tel: 852 2577 3444
Website: http://www.smlrestaurants.com
Hours: 11.30am to 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday; and 11.30am to 12.30am on Friday, Saturday and the eve of public holidays.
Source: BusinessTraveller.com

Join me tomorrow morning (Wed, 9th Dec 2009) for Dim Sum, as I wrap up my trip in Hong Kong.

A healthy energy bar

Convenient energy usually comes in the form of high GI carbs like breads, rice, noodles, potatoes and junk food in bags. The problem with eating a high GI diet is that it sends your blood sugar levels sky high, forcing your pancreas to create more insulin to fix the glucose surge. According to the doctors who wrote the The New Glucose Revolution, a high GI diet over time could lead to diabetes and other heart diseases.

Here’s a delicious and healthy low-GI bar I created today that you can make at home in no time. A perfect healthy snack to share with your friends and family!

Makes 10 bars | Prep. Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 15-30 minutes

P/S: I’ve used mostly organic ingredients in this recipe but you don’t have to if you’re only interested in the GI/GL factor.

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 120gm Organic Rolled Oats
• 80 gm chopped Almonds
• 50 gm chopped Macadamia nuts
• 50 gms chopped dried Cranberries
• 50 gms chopped dried Apricots
• 2 tsps of wheatgerm

WET INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 large ripe Banana (mashed)
• 6 teaspoons of organic raw honey
  (I used N.Z. Kamahi Raw Honey but you can substitute with Agave Nectar or Fructose Syrup)
• 2 egg whites (emulsifier)
• 2 teaspoons of lecithin granules (emulsifier)
• 3 tbsp of Canola oil
  (Or melted butter, but I didn’t want it to taste buttery as it would overwhelm the taste of the nut oils)
• 1/4 cup of hot water (to melt the lecithin)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) for 15 minutes.

2. Whisk the hot water and lecithin granules in a bowl with a fork. Once the granules have melted and emulsified, add the eggwhites, mashed banana, honey, vanilla, canola oil and continue whisking for about a minute until even.

3. Baste the tin foil with a bit of butter or cooking oil.

4. Mix all the dry ingredients together evenly, then add the wet ingredients in Step 2. Make sure the mixture is not too dry, and not so wet that it is lumpy. You can control the moisture by adding water by 1/4 cup ratios. If it becomes too wet, just add a bit more oats to dry it out. The dry ingredients need to be thinly coated evenly with the wet mixture.

5. Taste for sweetness. (You can make it sweeter if you want by adding more honey but I like it mildly sweet.)

6. Spread and compress the mixture on a flat baking tin or tray like the picture below. Be sure to make it as even as possible. You can use a spatula but to get the right shape on a baking tray, you’ll need to use your fingers to press and shape it. Think pottery skills!

Spread and compress!

7.Shape it into a square and ensure that the surface is even and packed nicely.

8. Depending on how much of a baked taste you want, you can either bake it for 30 minutes (dark) like the one below, or 15 minutes (light). The darker variety toasts the nuts more so you get more of a baked taste whereas the lighter variety doesn’t cook and release the nut oils as much. Most commercial bars do them light.

8. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

9. Cut bars into desired sizes (like the picture below), and let cool for another 15 minutes.

Cut the bars before it completely cools.

10. Voila! It is now ready to eat.

Let it stand on a cooling rack so that most of the moisture goes before you store it. Kept out it can keep for 2 days but kept in a Ziploc in the freezer it technically keeps for much longer.

Disclaimer: The above information is for entertainment purposes only. Not suitable for those with allergies to the above ingredients.

Did you know you can get a Full English Breakfast in Kota Kinabalu?

Ever wonder why I hardly whine about British food cravings since I’ve been back in Malaysia? Quite fortunately I get to eat British food at home but more significantly, one of my cravings is easily cured because we make our own Smoked Bacon and Cumberland Sausages from fresh pork at home!

Yep, I know this sounds like an extreme measure but after 30 years without a good fry up, I guess it is understandable why my dad would want to make some.

Earlier this year when both my brother and I were back, we made some, had some, loved it and thought it would be selfish and borderline cruel if we didn’t share it with our friends who lament about its non-availability in Kota Kinabalu. So we threw a couple of fry-up sessions (which was quite the excitement) and was cheered into opening a place that offers real bacon and sausages on a consistent basis.

Now, it is with great pleasure that I should announce the opening of Stone Bridge Galley in Asia City. Below is the flyer that went out today and there is a map there. We’re right next to the Pirates Bar at Asia City.

Stone Bridge Galley

I hope to see your smiling faces chewing on streaky bacon and sinking your teeth into real bangers! If you need help finding the place or have any other questions feel free to email me here. No you’re not imagining this. The bacon and sausages really exist in K.K. and it’s calling your name!

P/S: Do spread the joy around.

Check out this program that is hosted by two Hong Kong travel presenters on fishing and climbing Mt. Kinabalu in my home state of Sabah.

沙巴GOGOGO(第1部分)

(Added: 20th March 2009)

沙巴GOGOGO(第4部份)

I thought I’d share this to show that the Hong Kong market should not be ignored as people from the city of 7-million do travel and buy outdoor tour products.

Chinese people generally do one of two things. They either plan their holidays via travel agents that arrange cheap group tours with guides that cater specifically for them, or they get their information via sources they trust will have their interests at heart (like the one above) and  also tend to plan their trips in pairs or more.

Ignoring the Hong Kong market during the course of this campaign would be a mistake due to its proximity to Australia. It only takes 8.5 hours to get from Hong Kong to Brisbane as opposed to an 18-34 hour journey from Europe and/or North America.

With direct flights from Hong Kong to Brisbane on Cathay Pacific, Qantas Airways, China Airlines and Royal Brunei, so much more can be done to bring the right information about the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef to the Cantonese-speaking community to get them on planes and headed to the reef.

I can safely say that serving them generic brochures is a surefire way of sending them packing for destinations that embrace them with outstretched arms. This is especially true as regional tourism becomes more competitive (PATA survey).

As Island Caretaker, I would bring my cultural advantage to market the Great Barrier Reef to an international audience which will include Hong Kong, because I speak and understand Cantonese, am attuned to the habits of the Chinese community and can’t wait to share what experiences are on offer at the Great Barrier Reef to everyone including Cantonese-speakers all over the world.

I had planned on sharing some sinfully delicious notes from Madrid with you folks, but it got a little wild with the Best Job in the World frenzy so I have had to address the media and doctor my blog before talking about munchies. Here’s where you definitely have to go if you want to have some of the best Spanish food in Madrid!

La Casa Del Abuelo

Cook grilling shrimps at La Casa Del Abuelo

Gambas A La Plancha for €7.60 at La Casa Del Abuelo

Juicy Gambas A La Plancha

Why? This specialist tapas haven is frequented by locals looking for only the freshest shrimps and langostines that are flavored with their house adobo and grilled to succulent perfection. Euh yeah, (vegetarian warning) I ate it all and sucked all the juices out of their heads because it was so fresh and tasty!

La Casa Del Abuelo
Fundada En 1906. Madrid
Tfno: 902 027334
Victoria, 12 – Nunez de Arce, 5 – Goya, 57 MADRID
www.lacasadelabuelo.es

La Mi Venta

La Mi Venta: Across the road from Jardines De Sebatini

If you are a fan of Parma ham, you would probably love Iberian ham! La Mi Venta, a tapas bar near the Palacios Reales hung a Spanish sign that claimed that their ham was “possibly the best in Madrid.” With a cue like that, how could I resist? So I went in and asked and because they liked my style, I was given a slice to try for free! Haha.

Possibly the best Jamón ibérico in Madrid, claims La Mi Venta owner

After tasting their ham I immediately insisted to get 100 grams worth of that stuff to take away without hesitation. It is the “best” raw ham I have ever tasted, I just can’t get enough of it because of how much flavor and character it has. You would think that because it is raw it would taste raw but it doesn’t. Very fatty and very delicious!

La Mallorquina

Window display of pastries at La Mallorquina Bakery

Perhaps the one thing my travel mates and I loved most about Madrid was the discovery of this insanely, yes “insanely” congested bakery! I kid you not, La Mollorquina is so busy they have a line of 6 or 8 servers behind the pastry counter serving takeaway pastries like bartenders selling beer at a popular urban nightclub on a Saturday night. You’d be lucky if you manage to exchange eye contact with one of the staff to get your order in but I insist the pushing, shoving and hollering is well worth it if you love your food.

La Malloquina's specialty: Agujas de Ternera

They have the most delicious cream-filled buns and some wicked Agujas de Terneca which are a type of beef empanada. The mincemeat-filled oblong puff pastry is to die for so needless to say, they have definitely passed my umami taste test!

La Mollorquina Bakery
Calle Mayor 2, 28013 MADRID
Tfno: +34 91 521 1201

Other must-tries are Bar Andalú for their calamares and Lhardy for their bits and bites.

Lhardy: Look at the guy behind sneaking a wave, hah!

As you can see folks, the Madridians are nice. They love people who want to eat their food and couldn’t be happier to share all of that with you if only you’d give the city a chance. Madrid is the third largest city in Europe after London and Berlin, so the flight links are fantastic. Going from London is easy peasy. Flight tickets on Ryanair starts from £0.01 and £22.99 on EasyJet before taxes. With deals like that, it would be a travesty not to see Madrid if only just to have some tapas over the weekend. So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets now!